Football: Moorpark & Valencia with big plays at end of second quarter

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Moorpark enters halftime with a 16-14 lead over Valencia, concluding a second quarter that had many big plays down the stretch.

With the Vikings facing fourth-and-six at their own 39-yard line, a bad snap to senior punter Kevin Rush resulted in a 13-yard loss. Moorpark senior tailback Austin Edmonson followed suit on the next three plays with one 12-yard run and two seven-yard runs, the last burst resulting in a seven-yard touchdown with 1:18 remaining in the second quarter. The score capped off a first-half performance that entailed 12 carries for 103 yards and two touchdowns.

Musketeers senior kicker Stephen Picchini earlier nailed a 45-yard field goal, but his extra point attempt went wide to the left. It left Moorpark with a 16-7 lead.

That deficit was quickly reduced.

Starting on first-and-10 at Valencia’s 24-yard line, junior quarterback Alex Bishop scrambled through the middle of the field and zig zagged out of bounds on the near sideline for a 20-yard run. On the next play, junior tailback Steven Manfro advanced to the four-yard line off a screen pass. And the drive was capped off with a four-yard touchdown run from Nanfro. Caleb Preston’s extra point attempt was good, reducing Moorpark’s lead to 16-14 with 41 seconds remaining.

--Mark Medina